But watching you stand alone all of my doubt suddenly goes away

[goldencarillon]

Every breath, every hour has come to this

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Palace under seige

[goldencarillon]

(( I apologize again for the delay. Normally I'm quicker and can usually tag a couple times a day or so, but I wanted to do a little canon refresh and had to brainstorm. There's plenty of room to change, subtract, or add things as we go, so feel free to do so. You can also add me on discord at carmina.cumulo any time so we can plot. I'm aiming for something long-term that we can build their romance with, and include them as Princess/Prince, as remaining Sailor Guardians, and/or later move them onto the throne while waiting for Usagi and Mamoru to reincarnate and come of age.

I aimed to make a plot with a big-bad that is a major threat, isn't too much like the other things we've seen, but also isn't cataclysmic--but it could be if we decide the story needs it to be.

I'll also take some liberties with the starter and assume that at this point in time, Helios swaps between Chibiusa, Maiden, or Small Lady depending on the situation. There is a magnetism there, but nothing official yet.

Click to read plot idea.

Just so you have an idea of how to react and what to do, the loose outline is there is a dead planet that, after the destruction of its native solar system, has been traveling through the cosmos towards Earth. However, the planet--and its guardian sailor scout--doesn't realize it perished in the star's collapse, too. It thinks it's the sole survivor, and isn't allowing the civilian crystals to return to the Galactic Cauldron. The Sailor Crystal doesn't realize it is the one stopping the civilian crystals from returning because it's siphoning the energy from them to stay alive. She was a very loyal Guardian, and is basically a zombie/lich Sailor Guardian.

The crystal only thinks it's sick/injured, and the planet's people will die if it doesn't get help. This dead sailor crystal's planet is somehow traveling through space, heading for the Silver Crystal because the Sailor Guardian knew of the miracles it can perform. It wants Usagi to heal itself of whatever is ailing it and the people of the planet. It refuses to die, and is stealing life force from any source it gets near just so it can hold on long enough to make it to Earth.

There is also a final surprise about what's going on outside the palace right now, and I can tell you if you want! It does tie into why Usagi's Guardians are missing, and why Usagi and Helios are so drained, but Chibiusa and the Quartet are not.

))


[ Neptune and Uranus had been the first ones to notice a disturbance, and quietly departed to do as duty dictated. A few years passed before they returned, but only barely so, and shortly before their return, Pluto had been found inside the palace, collapsed by the Door of Space and Time.

It was almost as if their return had heralded the beginning, as where life had been leisurely and time passed unnoticed before, everything began happening all at once. Neptune and Uranus had barely recovered before leaving once more. Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venus were close at their heels to help, but Luna and Artemis had lost communication with them some weeks ago.

On the edge of the solar system, a dark planet--much like Nemesis--loomed. It hugged the edge of the Kuiper belt, quietly clinging to the Sun's gravitational field.

Then came the black-out. Endymion was the next to collapse, and was placed to recover, encased in crystal, next to Pluto. Helios stayed by his side, ever dutiful in keeping the planet and Endymion alive.

At last came the shockwaves from outside the palace. Violent attempts to break through the Silver Crystal's barrier that shook the foundations. Walls cracked and rubble fell, carving craters in smooth marble and quartz floors. The stone lost its warm luster, and it was hard to tell if the sounds outside were coming from gales and storms, or a singular voice, wailing in desperation. Or a chorus of voices.

People were now banging at the palace gates, clawing at the walls and barrier, and trying to shatter the windows. Every so often, larger blasts of energy would rattle the ground again and sent some of the bodies of civilians flying in every direction. So far, only cracks had been managed by the rabble, but only because Usagi was straining to focus all of her energy into keeping the barrier active with help from Helios.

Helios had closed the gap to yank Chibiusa out of the way as a collapsing pillar fell right for her, pulling her into his chest to hold tightly to. His chin set gently atop her head, perhaps in an affectionate gesture, but the priest was pale and exhausted, himself, and was mostly leaning against her. She was warm and soft, but steadfast in his arms. She smelled so sweetly, even with everything crumbling around them, that he could almost believe he'd fallen into a dream to have her so close.

The Quartet hovered close by, nervous and alert. They wanted to stay near Usagi to help give her strength, but weren't keen on just standing here and waiting to see if whatever it was could actually break into the palace or not. They had breathed a sigh of relief when Helios protected the Princess, but that small reprieve was short-lived with the next shockwave rocking the palace walls again. ]

Chibiusa, Elysion is slowly being consumed. Her Majesty and I cannot hold the barrier forever.

Do you have Pluto's key, still?

[ His words were softly spoken to try and hide the tired tremble of his voice. It would have been so easy to close his eyes and give in to the exhaustion that gnawed at his bones, but here next to Chibiusa, it was a little easier to hold on to what he was fighting for. ]